American College Testing (ACT) adds digital exam format, makes science section optional
American College Testing (ACT) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is rolling out major changes to its test, including the addition of a digital format and allowing the science section to be optional. While the traditional paper-and-pencil option remains, the new format provides students more flexibility to better demonstrate their knowledge.
National ACT online testing with the optional science section began in April 2025. This enhanced format will expand to paper exams and international administrations in September 2025. District-hosted School Day testing will provide the optional science section in February 2026.
Unlike the digital Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), another standardized test for college admissions, the digital ACT does not adjust the difficulty of its questions based on a student’s performance. Instead, it includes shorter passages and more time per question. The digital exam will also incorporate an embedded field-testing model. These are unscored questions integrated into the test to evaluate their quality and effectiveness for future exams.
According to ACT strategic communications director, Juan Elizondo, the changes were prompted by student feedback.
“We heard from students that they wanted a shorter testing experience and more flexibility in terms of what’s required to secure a college-reportable score,” Elizondo said.
Ashima Gupta, a sophomore at Eastlake High School, plans to take the enhanced digital ACT in April 2026. While she will be taking the science section, the changes are a welcome development.
“There are some students out there who like the formatting and length of the test, but are stronger in different topics such as writing or reading and not strong in subjects like science. This way the students can focus on subjects that are in their interests and strengths instead of worrying about subjects they may not even pursue in the future,” Gupta said.
Gupta has high expectations for the shorter exam.
“I can focus on the subjects that I want to pursue my career into, such as math and science…” she said.
Gupta knows that while she still has to complete the reading and writing sections, she can put greater emphasis on the sections where she felt most confident.
Eastlake senior Anagha Taneja, prefers the older paper version. Taneja took the paper ACT in April 2024 and found the test’s format beneficial.
“My overall experience with the paper ACT was great. I am a fast reader, so the style of the ACT was beneficial because the questions were easier, even if we had less time to respond,” Taneja said.
Taneja said she performs better when she can make physical notes on paper and was relieved to learn that a paper option is still available.
“While I still have to wait to see how the new test format with an optional science section will impact students who prefer paper, I’m glad they will still have that option,” Taneja said.
While ACT is offering more test options, Elizondo said, “Our evidence shows that these adjustments have not impacted the test’s difficulty or the interpretability of scores, preserving the reliability and comparability of ACT results that colleges and universities depend on for assessing college readiness.”
Starting in September 2025, as part of the changes to the exam, the ACT Composite score—a single number that represents a student’s overall performance on the exam—will be calculated on English, math, and reading scores only. Science, like writing, will be scored and reported separately.
With more testing styles available to students, the changes for the ACT allow more students to demonstrate their best skills in all subject areas.
“Thousands of students have taken the enhanced ACT since April, with and without science. Those students have said that they appreciated having more time to review their answers and the flexibility to decide whether to take the science test,” Elizondo said.
For more information on the enhanced ACT, see www.act.org.
